"Old Whip" The Horse that Santa Anna Rode at San Jacinto

About 1821 or 1822 a man named Allen Vince
came to Texas from. Missouri as a part of the colony of Stephen F.
Austin and settled above the mouth of a small bayou which empties
into the Buffalo Bayou about twenty miles below the present city of
Houston. Here he had a grant of land located, erected -a house and
established a stock ranch. For convenience in passing from one side
of the bayou to the other he constructed a narrow, rough, but strong
cedar bridge, and Vince's Bayou and Vince's Bridge became famous in
Texas history in connection with the battle of San Jacinto. The
people in traveling from the east or coming from the west crossed on
this famous little bridge and soon a public road led from Lynch's
Ferry on the San Jacinto to all points west of Vince's Bayou.

Mr. Vince also opened a farm on the east side of the Brazos River
within the present southern limits of Fort Bend County, and raised
fine crops of corn. Besides cattle stock at his ranch on the bayou,
he also had some good horses, among which was a large coal black
stallion whom he called "Old Whip," from the fact, I suppose, that
he whipped everything else on the ranch in the way of horses. In
April, 1836, when Santa Anna arrived at this bayou ranch with his
army and the inmates had all fled before him, he had all the horses
gathered up for his own use that could be conveniently caught,
including "Old Whip," which the Mexican commander-in-chief
appropriated as his own particular war horse, transferring his fine
$300 saddle from the back of an inferior mount to that of the black
stallion, and rode away upon him to New Washington on the bay shore,
crossing all his men and baggage on the little bridge, except a
twelve-pound cannon and caisson wagon of ammunition, which he was
afraid would break it down, and which he sent around the head of the
bayou in charge of one company of troops, commanded by General
Castrillon. General Houston came along soon after with his army and
crossed on the same bridge, and after him came General Cos with 500
more Mexican troops, and made the passage there.

Colonel Delgado, who was on the staff of Santa Anna, says, in his
notes on the campaign, that after arriving at New Washington and
burning a warehouse there and taking possession of other property,
the President sent him out with a detachment to bring in some cattle
and slaughter them for the use of the army, and so plentiful were
they in that country that they soon rounded up 100 head and drove
them to camp. Now, these cattle were raised in Fort Bend County and
belonged to Dr. Johnson Hunter and had been driven from his ranch on
Oyster Creek ahead of the Mexican army, in an effort to save them,
but he was finally compelled to abandon them on the San Jacinth
prairie on the near approach of the army under Santa Anna. There
were about 600 head of them, and this ac-counts for cattle being so
numerous at the time in that part of the country.

When a. scout came galloping in and informed Santa Anna that the
Texans had also crossed Vince's Bayou and were close upon his rear,
it seemed to have alarmed him to an unreasonable extent, considering
his military achievements and fame in Mexico. He at once mounted
"Old Whip" and dashed back toward the prairie through a narrow lane
crowded with pack-mules and soldiers, riding over and knocking them
to one side in piles, and shouting at the top of his voice: "The
enemy are coming! The enemy are coming!" This had a tendency to
demoralize the Mexican troops, seeing their President in such a
"rattled" state, and, instead of making an effort to form and face
the enemy, lost all idea of fighting, and only attempted to save
themselves by flight, and no order could be restored until a squad
of cavalry came in and reported the Texans had gone into camp on
Buffalo Bayou. Santa Anna then moved up with his army and encamped,
facing the enemy about half a mile south. John R. Fenn, who resides
in Fort Bend County and also has a residence in Houston, and who was
captured by Almonte's men at Fort Bend, where Richmond is now, and
made his escape on the following morning while the Mexicans were
firing at the steamboat "Yellowstone," which suddenly came swiftly
around the bend and ran the gauntlet of the Mexican army, says that
he does not wonder at the feat of Santa Anna running over so many
pack-mules and infantry soldiers, as he knew "Old Whip" well, and
that he was one of the most powerful horses in the country.

On the day of the battle Santa Anna had the famous black horse near
him, and when he saw the conflict was going a against him, and while
the brave Castrillon and Almonte were vainly endeavoring to rally
the panic-stricken Mexican troops; he mounted and set out across the
prairie towards Vince's Bridge, leaving Captain Henry Karnes and his
troopers far behind, who went in pursuit of him. The bridge,
however, had been burned by Deaf Smith, and when the fugitive
President of Mexico arrived there, he essayed to cross the boggy
little bayou, but 'Old Whipa' stuck fast in the mire, and he was
compelled to abandon him and the fine saddle and hide himself in a
thicket. Karnes and his men came upon the scene later on and rescued
the horse, who was a woeful sight when he came out, his black,
glossy, beautiful coat being covered with mud and slime. Santa Anna
was captured on the following day. The horse was well cared for and
restored to Vince, who kept him for many years on his ranch, and he
died there, and, for a horse, at a very advanced age. He was a
magnificent traveler, moving under the saddle like he was on
springs.

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